


The Lonely Ones

by Adrastos



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Awkward Hugging, Brotherly Love, Chocobros - Freeform, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 12:03:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adrastos/pseuds/Adrastos
Summary: Most days, Noctis just smiles and laughs as though nothing's changed, as though they're still just on a road trip to get him hitched.Then there are the days he can't even get out of bed, can't even move, when Prompto knows that the prince's grief just washes over him.Normally, there's an unspoken agreement among the four of them to just ignore these days and pretend that nothing's happening, but after a new skin homaging Regis appears in King's Knight and Noctis disappears into the woods Prompto knows he can't just leave his friend alone with his grief anymore.





	The Lonely Ones

Most days it’s easy for Prompto to forget that anything happened to King Regis. Days when Noctis rides Chocobos, poses with Cindy, gives him shit over _King’s Knight_ , waylays them for an entire afternoon trying to catch that one elusive fish…

Most days it’s as if nothing happened and they’re still just four guys on a road trip to Altissia so Noctis can get hitched to Lunafreya Nox Flueret. Most days all four of them are just smiling, joking as if nothing had changed. As if the only notable thing to happen lately was Ignis declaring “That’s it! I’ve come up with a new recipe!” for the umpteenth time. And on those days Noctis just laughs and laughs, without a care in the world.

But then there are other days. Days when Noctis can’t even get out of bed. When he can’t even bring himself to eat. Or nights when, at best, he spends the entire time shaking, and at worst just up and vanishes for hours at a time. After the latter nights, Prompto has noticed, there are often a peculiar amount of slash marks on the nearest trees. He’s sure that Ignis and Gladiolus know about it as well, but none of them say anything. It’s like the four of them have this unspoken rule where they pretend that nothing’s happening.

Prompto follows it because he wants Noctis and the rest to like him, doesn’t want to drive away his only friends. And it absolutely kills him.

So when the latest update to _King’s Knight_ adds in a new five-star skin for Barusa called the “King of the Light Sky” in homage to the late king of Lucis, Prompto knows that the night’s going to be a bad one. And sure enough, when they make camp for the night Noctis makes some excuse about wanting to do some night fishing in that dead voice he gets sometimes, and as usual Ignis and Gladiolus just nod and tell him not to wander too far. And as usual, that’s the end of it.

At least for a few minutes, because tonight feels…different. For whatever reason, Prompto can’t fall asleep. The other two have, to be sure, but for whatever reason Prompto just can’t settle down. Like he knows there’s something else he needs to be doing.

 _Noct_. Even by “bad day” standards tonight the prince seemed completely broken. Not that Prompto can blame him: if he’d opened up a mobile game and suddenly been hit with a visceral reminder of his dead father, Prompto’s pretty sure that he would react in the same way. At least, if he actually knew his real father or was at all close with his foster one.

Still, Prompto feels like he can’t just leave Noctis alone. Not now. So, in spite of himself, in spite of the rule they follow every “bad day” to just let Noctis do his thing, Prompto gets up and heads outside.

“Don’t do anything rash.” It’s Gladiolus.

“Didn’t think you were still awake.” Prompto doesn’t look at him.

“I’m his highness’s sworn shield. It’s my duty to stay awake until he comes back. Not sure why you’re still up, though.”

“It’s Noct. He shouldn’t be alone out there. He needs us.”

“I think his highness can smash up the trees just fine on his own, Prompto.”

Promto shakes his head and opens the tent flap.

“Don’t.” Prompto feels Gladio’s hand on his shoulder, holding him back. “Noct needs to work things through on his own. Things like this, a king has to shoulder by himself.”

Prompto just shakes his head. “I can’t accept that.” And then he runs after Noct.

 

It’s only afterwards that Prompto realizes that he has no idea where Noctis went, but thankfully the signs aren’t hard to miss: a bit of scuffed dirt here, disturbed rocks there, and broken twigs a few feet away. Before they left Insomnia the Marshal made sure to teach Prompto the basics in tracking, and as a result Prompto’s able to track down the wayward prince quite easily. It’s not long before Prompto hears angry grunts and sees Noctis hacking away at an oak tree with his Engine Blade.

It soon becomes apparent that every strike is accompanied by a muttered curse. “Damn…you…dad…Ardyn…damned Nifs…” Noctis pauses for a moment, catches his breath, and with one final swing cuts right through the tree trunk. “God _damn_ it!” The Engine Blade dissipates back into nothingness, leaving Noctis nothing to use to get his anger out. The prince just stares at his handiwork, so quietly that Prompto wonders if he should say anything. Then, before Prompto knows it, his friend is shaking like a leaf and crying.

It’s the last straw. Unsure what to say, but resolved to say _something_ , Prompto steps out into the clearing.

“…Noct?”

The effect is immediate. Suddenly the Engine Blade is back and Noctis whirls around, ready to strike. The blade stops just a few inches short of disaster, making Prompto leap back and curse.

“Prompto? What the hell are you doing here?” Now that Noctis is facing him, Prompto can see that his friend’s face is bright red and stained with tears. Clearly he’s been crying for a while.

Prompto looks down at his feet. “I…I came to check up on you. I thought that after that new thing in _King’s Knight_ that you might not wanna be alone.”

Embarrassed at being seen like this, Noctis just turns back around. “Well, as you can see I’m fine. Go to bed.”

“But –”

“It’s just a game, Prompto. I’m fine.”

“Uh huh, sure.” He’s not sure why, but Prompto just keeps pressing his friend. He gestures to the remnants of the oak tree. “Is that what fine looks like? ‘Cause last I checked, people who’re ‘fine’ don’t suddenly embark on deforestation sprees.”

“Just leave me alone, man.” Noctis’s voice is harsher. “What I get up to is none of your concern.”

“Like hell it isn’t! Noct, you’re my best friend – don’t shut me out like this!”

Noctis whirls back around. “Back _off_! I’m not asking for your help, so give me my space. I’ll see you in the morning.”

This is the third time Noctis has told him to leave him alone, but Prompto still refuses to listen. _I’m not leaving you alone, buddy. No matter what you say_. “Noct, I know that what you’re dealing with is hard, but –”

“SHUT UP!” Noctis’s shouting. “YOU DON’T KNOW A DAMN THING, PROMPTO! _YOU’VE_ STILL GOT YOUR PARENTS BACK IN INSOMNIA! _YOU’VE_ GOT A HOME TO GO BACK TO. WELL, GUESS WHAT? I DON’T!”

Prompto still refuses to leave, not so much angry at being yelled at as he is, suddenly, about to cry himself. Memories start flashing: an empty house with nothing for dinner. Waking up and finding nothing but a note that says “ _Be back at 7 tonight_ ”. Sitting in the back of the classroom and looking at his camera while silently wishing he could work up the courage to talk to people. Memories of how, before Noct and Iggy and Gladio, he was alone.

And he finds himself saying “No, Noct. I do understand. I mean, not completely, since like you said I still technically have a family, but I understand. You feel like you’re alone alone, just like I did. Just like I _was_.” Prompto finds himself smiling then, despite it all. It’s a sad little smile, half-broken, but a smile nonetheless.

Noctis is completely disarmed. “What?” It’s more a whisper than anything. “Prompto, I…”

“Did I never tell you the story about how I met you?”

“No.” Noctis has calmed down now and is looking at his friend with something Prompto’s never seen on his face before – he almost looks begging. Like under it all, he really _does_ what someone with him.

So Prompto explains. “Remember how when we were both 12 I sort of…ran into you in the schoolyard?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, the reason I was there was because a couple days below I found this stray puppy in the street. Being the great guy that I am I brought her home, bandaged her up, and wouldn’t you know it a few days later I got a letter from a certain lovely lady Lunafreya thanking me for taking care of her dog and telling me to keep being a good friend to you. I guess she thought we were close or something.”

Noctis’s eyes are wide as saucers. “Wait – you knew Luna?”

“Well, not _knew_ , knew. Just from the one letter. Which I, uh, still have.” And still occasionally smelled, but Noctis doesn’t need to know that little titbit. “But anyways, I wanted to make myself into someone who _could_ be your friend, so I made a point to exercise every day for years in order to get the gorgeous physique you see today.”

Noctis is touched and a little embarrassed. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Prompto just shrugs, making light of years of training and dietary changes. “What else do you do for the first guy who ever wants to be your friend?” Then he smiles, a happy one this time. “So, Noct, what I’m basically trying to say is I pretty much owe you for getting my sorry ass out of the lonely life I used to have.” He looks over at the poor oak tree. “Honestly, I think if I had a tree to smash up back then I probably would have done it myself.”

In spite of himself, in spite of everything he’s feeling, Noctis chuckles. “They would’ve had your ass for that, you know.” He shakes his head. “Still, I can’t believe you went through all that trouble for me.” Then it’s _his_ turn to smile. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Although…” Prompto smirks. “Maybe, since you said that I didn’t need to go through all that I should try and squeeze the royal treasury for some money. In compensation.”

This makes Noctis laugh. It’s a wonderful sound, even more than usual. “Over my dead body, Prompto.” He shakes his head. “Well, we’d best head back before Iggy and Gladio throw a fit. Don’t want another lecture from mommy dearest.” Noctis sighs, shakes his head again, and begins heading back to camp.

Before he can get far, however, Promto grabs him and pulls him into a hug.

“What are you –”

“I wasn’t done yet, dumbass. I just wanted to say that, since my actual family’s not exactly all that present, I’ve kinda started thinking of you three as a replacement.” This next bit’s gonna be _real_ awkward, but then again so is randomly glomping the prince of Lucis. “So, uh, if it helps at all, just know that, at least to me, you still have some family left.” He backs away, embarrassed. “Not that I’m trying to replace your dad, of course. I know I can’t do that. I just…uh…well…don’t want you to feel alone.”

Surprisingly, Noctis hugs Prompto back. “That means a lot. Really, it does.”

And then the two begin walking back to camp, hearts considerably lighter.

“Hey, Noct?”

“Yeah?”

“Sorry for getting all weird back there, what with the hugging and the ‘you’re family’ and everything.”

Noctis turns, wearing an expression of mock sternness. “What you did was absolutely unforgiveable. The punishment…is death.” The Engine Blade reappears. “Prompto Argentum, I hereby sentence you to die.”

The two stare at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. “Dude,” Prompto manages to gasp out between breaths. “You shouldn’t swing your blade around so willy-nilly. What if I get hurt?”

“Hey, sometimes you totally deserve to be swatted at. Particularly after one of your little ‘wah wah wah’s when I’m fishing.”

“Well if you actually bothered to catch something bigger than my thumb I wouldn’t say anything.”

“Oh-hoh! Them’s fightin’ words!” Noctis struts ahead, still chuckling.

As he does Prompto hangs back, trying to ignore the sudden gut punch. “Sometimes I deserve it…yeah.” He mutters. Involuntarily he looks down at his wrist, at the cloth hiding the weird barcode-thing underneath. Sometimes he thinks about it and he wonders: DOES he deserve it?”

Prompto shakes his head and forces himself to think about the day ahead. There’ll be plenty of time to work through his own guilt was Noctis is back on the throne. In the meantime, even if it turns out that Noctis DOES wind up attacking him at some point, all Prompto wants to do is enjoy the ride and support his friend no matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is the first time I've ever tried to write stuff like this, but FFXV is one of my absolute favorite games of all time and I really wanted to write something about the relationship between the Chocobros. Plus I could totally see Prompto as the kind of guy to awkwardly declare that he sees Noct as family and then immediately apologize for possibly killing the mood.


End file.
